Page 25 of Passionate Defense

Resigned to her fate, she returned her hands to the rail and held on with a white-knuckled grip. She also tried the deep breathing Ethan was always touting.

His hand appeared before her eyes, palm up, and his lips brushed her ear as he murmured gently, “Take my hand and hold on, baby. Only two more and we’re done. Nothing to it.”

Easy for him to say,she silently scoffed. Still, she latched onto his powerful hand and clamped down hard. His strength gave her the courage to endure what was coming, as did the knowledge that her nails bit into his flesh, sharing the experience and the pain, if only a bit.

As the final two strokes fell low across her cheeks near her thighs, she hissed at the fiery burn.

“That’s the last,” he whispered, shifting beside her.

She moved into his embrace without hesitation, her arms winding around his waist, anchoring herself to his sturdy frame. As she leaned into him, she felt his hands slide down to cup and hold her burning backside. Biting her lip, she fought back the tears.

“Please rub me, Ethan. I’m on fire.”

He squeezed her gently, caressing her heated flesh with his broad palms. It felt good, so good, that she whimpered as he eased her.

“Look at me, Lanie.”

She tilted her head back and melted into the warm depths of his eyes.

“Better?”

He wasn’t referring to her rear end, and she knew it. “Yes, sir. You always know what I need when I need it.”

“You’ve been building toward that for several days. What’s wrong?”

She looked away briefly, but he wouldn’t let it go. His fingers flexed on her tender parts as he pulled her against him. “We don’t have much time left. Talk to me.”

“The signing of the lease on the new office, the first payroll, the computers, iPhones, an expensive new security system...all of it. Money’s flying out, but none is coming in yet. It’s got me worried.”

“I’m not. I have faith in you.”

“I know. I only wish I did.” With her face buried in his chest, her words came out muffled when she went on. “We’ve got a bunch of cases. More clients are scheduling appointments every day. Everything is going as planned, but I’m waiting for something major to go wrong. It’s crazy, but what can I say? I’m a freak.”

“No, you’re a perfectionist. Do I need to explain that again?”

“Please don’t,” she laughed softly.

He tugged on her hair. When her head fell back, she saw his handsome, smiling face. “You’re going to do great,” he assured her, before he kissed her.

His praise and confidence in her ability, and the smoldering open-mouthed lip-lock made her tension fade. Sadly, they couldn’t continue making out in the elevator, which was the only one that went all the way to the top of the building and the very popular five-star restaurant at suppertime on a Friday.

Ethan squatted to help replace her panties. Before he eased them up over her warm and tingling butt, his lips, soft and lingering, caressed her lower belly. Her pants took the same northward track, and the zipper came up next with him fastening the button at her waist. Lastly, he smoothed her blouse and jacket.

Giving her a once-over, his lips curved into a smile. “You take my breath away, beautiful. Ready to go up?”

“As I’ll ever be. I guess.”

He reached over and released the stop button.

As the elevator moved, he slid his arm around her waist, his splayed fingers resting on the uppermost curve of her behind. A proprietary gesture that she never minded.

Leaning into him, she gazed up into his beloved face. “What was that vile thing, by the way?”

Reaching into his coat pocket, he withdrew a short plastic stick with a black rubber tip. Holding it out to her, he said, “Pull.”

When she did, the stick extended in sections to about eighteen inches. She stared at it in fascination, never having seen a telescoping cane before.

“Pocket sized and lightweight. It’s perfect for when my girl gets sassy and needs a hard lesson on the fly.”

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